04.02.13 The 9th Key for Adding Value to Your Parents' Lives

9. Be Honest and Trustworthy

The book of Ruth relays the promise that she made to Naomi, her mother-in-law; and how she (Ruth) was honest about her intentions. In Ruth 1:16-17, we see her making a life commitment to Naomi, saying (NIV): ¹⁶But Ruth replied, “¹⁶…. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me. Naomi must have believed Ruth since verse 18 narrates how she (Naomi) stopped urging her to return to her biological parents and their gods. And for sure, Ruth left with Naomi for Bethlehem; and some writers report that Ruth was buried in Hebron in Judea in the same tomb with Jesse, meaning that she kept her word and did not return to Moab.

I also got the opportunity to display honesty and trustworthiness to my dad and mum the day I returned home after accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. I had been cohabiting with my boyfriend (now my husband). A few months prior. My strict parents had allowed me to leave home only after convincing them that I would be staying with one of my friends, Jane, since her rich daddy had rented an apartment for her which was located near my new workplace. But all those were lies. Therefore, on returning home that evening, I repented and asked for their forgiveness. They lovingly accepted me back and we had our ‘white’ wedding six months thereafter. Being honest about my mistake showed how I valued our ‘daughter-parent’ relationship.

A value-adding daughter is honest and worth trusting by her parents. In fact, the extent to which you are honest and trustworthy with your parents can spell the value that you accord them.

Therefore, my sister, you ought to be honest and trustworthy with your parents (and other people) even when it may cost you or make you lose an opportunity. By opting to be honest and trustworthy with your parent, you show that your relationship with him or her is more important than anything else.

By the way, have you ever heard how some people hoodwink parents just to rip them off? In fact, God really resents such behaviour. See what Proverbs 28:24 says (AMPC): Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, This is no sin—he is in the same class as [an open, lawless robber and] a destroyer.